Drinking-cup holder for inverted bottles.



J. A. SHERMAN.

DRINKING CUP HOLDER FOR INVERTED BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUGH. 1916.

Patented May14,1918.

ili

ICE. 7

JOHN SHERMAN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRINKING-CUP HOLDER FOR INVERTED BOTTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented llay 14;, 1918.

Application filed August 1, 1916. Serial No. 112,596.

T0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SHERMAN, of lVorcester, in the county ofIVorcester and State of Ivlassachusctts, a citizen of the United States,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drinking-Cup Holders forInverted Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a type of holder for a package of paper drinkingcups to be used in connection with the ordinary inverted bottles ofspring water usually found in offices and stores. As is well known,

these bottles are inverted in a suitable r eceptacle which has a spigotattached. Inasmuch as ordinances provide for individual drinking cups inpublic and such places, various kinds of cups and holders have beendevised for this purpose, but, so far as I am aware, no one has inventeda holder to fit over the bottle to hold a package of flat cups of thetype which forms the subject-matter of my application for Letters Patentof the United States, Serial No. 859,7 04, filed September 1, 1914.Bottles of this kind are not exact in size, but vary in circumference atrifle.

The object of my invention is to provide an easily-removable holderwhich is automatically adjustable to bottles thus varying a little insize and which is of a construction such that the cost of productionwill be extremely small.

My invention will be understood from the drawings, in which Figure 1 isa front elevation of the device in operative position, a part of theinverted bottle being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the holder.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a variation of th device.

In constructing my device I prefer to make use of heavy galvanized wireand, as shown in the drawings, my invention comprises a framework havingfour uprights A. These uprights are bent to form elbows as at a and nearthe top they converge inwardly and upwardly as at a (see Figs. 1 and 2).While it is not essential that four of these uprights be used, forpurposes of proper stability that number is effective. At the top andbottom the ends of the uprights A are bent to form eyes a Through thebottom eyes a is passed the ring B which is split at 7). By this meansthe ring B acts the ring B is free to move through the eyes a which arenearest the split 6, but are soldered or otherwise attached to the eyesa on the opposite side (see Fig. 3), thus permitting the frame to besprung as a whole.

At a point just above the elbows a; on the uprights A is attached bysolder or other wise the ring C so that the framework above the elbows ais held rigid and immovable whatever springing of the uprights below theelbows is necessary to fit the device to the bottle. This causes a firmsubstantial bearing of the upper framework upon the inverted bottom ofthe bottle.

At the top of the uprights through the eyes a is attached the frame D,which as shown is rectangular in form. This frame D forms the supportingmember for the frame which holds the package of cups, as well asstrengthening the framework. This latter frame is formed of the U-shapedframes D D which depend from the frame D, their upper ends beingattached to the frame D by eyes 61 which are made fast by solder. Theframe D is also made fast at the eyes (L to the uprights.

' In Fig. A a variation of my device is shown in that the ring B as acomplete circle is eliminated. The uprights on each side are connectedby the rods B so that the uprights spring outwardly on opposite sides tofit the bottle. To better strengthen the framework the ring C in thisfigure is raised somewhat above the point shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of this invention will readily appeal to those who makeuse of these bottles of drinking water. I do not intend to limit myselfto the precise form and construction shown, for various changes may bemade and yet be within the scope and spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a holder of the kind described, aframework having means adapted to rest upon the shoulder of a bottle orthe like and means attached thereto for holding a package of drinkingcups substantially as dcscribed.

2. In a holder of the kind described, a framework comprising uprights, acircular spring member attached to the lower ends of said uprights tovary the size. of said holder, and means for holding a package ofdrinking cups attached 'to said framework substantially as described.

3. In a holder of the kind described, a framework comprising uprightshaving elbows therein, a circular spring member attached to the lowerends of said uprights whereby said uprights may be sprung to ary thesize of said holder, a member located above said elbows to strengthensaid framework, and means attached to said framework for holding apackage of drinking cups substantially as described.

4i. In a holder of the kind described, a framework con' prising uprightshaving elbows therein, a .circular spring member at tached to the lowerends of said uprights whereby said uprights below said elbows ma besprung outwardly to vary the size of said holder, a circular memberattached to said uprights above said elbows to strengthen said frame andprevent said up rights from springing above said elbows, a frameconnecting the upper ends of said uprights, and a support for a packageof cups comprising frames depending from said top frame substantially asdescribed.

5. In a device of the kind described, a framework comprising uprightshaving elbows adapted to fit over and rest upon the top surface of abottle, a circular spring member attached to the lower ends of saiduprights to spring said uprights outwardly below said elbows, a circularmember at tached to said uprights above said elbows to strengthen saidframework, and a supporting frame attached to the top of said uprightsto hold a package of drinking cups.

JOHN A. SHERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Ya-tents,

Washington, D. 0.

